Saturday, November 27, 2004
EADS Receives Russian Government’s Approval to Take 10% Stake in IrkutEuropean Aeronautic Defense and Space Co. has received approval from the Russian government to take a 10 percent stake in fighter jet manufacturer Irkut, Russia’s Prime-Tass news agency quoted an Irkut spokeswoman as saying.
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Eurofighter partners agree on second tranche: report Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain have agreed to commit to the production of a second batch of Eurofighter aircraft, the Financial Times Deutschland reported.
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Surface-to-air missile Akash test firedIndia on Friday successfully test-fired the Akash surface-to-air missile from a range in Orissa, a defence source said.
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No Tomahawks - yet - for Dutch defence ministerDutch Defence Minister Henk Kamp wants the country to beef up its military capability by buying Tomahawk cruise missiles. However the plans were blocked by the Dutch parliament.
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Experts' panel to look into IAF crashesIndian Defence minister Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday told a parliamentary consultative committee on defence that an "expert group" will investigate the unusually high number of IAF aircraft crashes.
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Dhruv helicopter heads for IsraelHindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), has signed a contract with Israel Aircraft Industries for supply of a civil variant 'Dhruv' helicopter to Israel for transportation purposes.
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HAL team to investigate Dhruv landing in NepalThe uncontrolled ‘‘hard landing’’ of an Indian-made ALH Dhruv helicopter in Nepal recently has compelled manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) to put its technical team on a probe in Kathmandu.
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New Army helicopters undergo testingAustralia's new Tiger helicopters have begun flight testing in Brisbane. The first two Tiger helicopters will be delivered to Oakey Air Base in south-east Queensland next month.
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MiG deal to figure in Ivanov’s talks with PranabIndia's purchase of 16 MiG-29K fighters from Russia as part of the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier deal has run into rough weather.
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Friday, November 26, 2004
F-16s for Pakistan by mid 2005Pakistan is reportedly looking to finalize purchase of 18 to 25 F-16 multi-role fighter aircraft from the United States in the first half of next year.
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Continuing confusion over Singapore Air Force training plansThe commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Air Force,Air Chief Marshal Kongsak Vantana, has denied that
Singapore plans to rent a military airbase in the country's north-eastern province of Udon Thani, but admitted yesterday that Singaporean troops could use the airfield for training exercises.
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Boeing Converts 737 Into BomberBoeing is gearing up to modify its ubiquitous twin-jet, single-aisle airliner into a Navy patrol bomber called the Multi-Mission Maritime Aircraft, or MMA.
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US to sell 50 medium-range missiles to JordanThe Pentagon is to sell 50 AIM-120C Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles to Jordan, along with supporting equipment, in a deal worth about 39 million dollars, despite objections from Israel.
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Resultant Fury tests were successful, service says"Resultant Fury is a demonstration to allies and adversaries in the Pacific that the U.S. Air Force has the ability to rapidly respond and sink multiple moving sea targets in any weather environment, day or night," Gen. David Deptula, director of Pacific Air Forces Air and Space Operations said. "The United States is the only nation with this capability."
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RUSSIAN FIGHTERS FOR INDONESIAN PALM OILRussia could sell eight Su-30 fighters to Indonesia before the end of the year. The $250 million contract will be paid for mostly in commodities like palm oil.
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Saab Bofors Dynamics -- Another NATO country buys RBS 70Saab Bofors Dynamics has signed a contract with Latvia regarding the RBS 70 Air Defence Missile System. The order is worth MSEK 185 for Saab. The Latvian Air Force is the end customer and user of the system.
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Thursday, November 25, 2004
So long SwordUSAF F-15 Eagles prepare for an exercise Keen Sword 2005 mission at Hyakuri Air Base, Japan. U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Val Gempis.
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Congressman calls for investigation of Navy field siteThe congressman who represents the eastern North Carolina area where a jet landing strip is proposed says he will ask for a Government Accounting Office investigation of the Navy's site selection.
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Malaysian air chief calls on Bangladesh PresidentThe Royal Malaysian Air Force Chief General Datuk Nik Ismail Mohammed paid a courtesy call on Bangladesh President and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces Professor Dr Iajuddin Ahmed at Bangabhaban.
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V-22 made emergency landing in CanadaA V-22 Ospreyt being tested in Nova Scotia recently made an emergency landing at the Canadian air force’s Shearwater air base after losing a chunk of rotor blade.
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Thailand in favour of Sweden's Gripen"It seems positive," said Swedish Defence Minister Leni Björklund following talks with Thai officers and political leaders over Thailand’s possible procurement of the Jas 39 Gripen fighter aircraft.
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Oregon Air Guard unit flies high in competitionThe Oregon Air National Guard's Fightin' Redhawks from Portland's 142nd Fighter Wing returned this past weekend from Tyndall AFB, Fla., after placing second overall in the U.S. Air Force's William Tell Air-to-Air Weapons Competition.
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F-16 simulator training saves lives of pilotsThe task of providing pilots with simulator training in the 388th Fighter Wing belongs to three simulator instructors and a project officer at the Aircrew Training Device facility.
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Indonesia Wants to Buy More Russian Fighter Jets — OfficialIndonesia plans to buy more fighter jets from Russia and is looking to East European nations for alternative weapons procurement, a senior Indonesian official, quoted by Reuters agency, said on Wednesday, Nov. 24. Indonesia hopes to have one squadron of 12 to 16 Su-30.
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U.S. tanker delay could kill Boeing 767 lineThe Pentagon's pledge to require competitive bids to replace its aging refueling aircraft could delay a contract long enough to force Boeing Co. to close its 767 production line in Everett, Washington, analysts and industry officials said.
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Taiwan air force red faced after shooting rare birdTaiwan's air force has incurred the wrath of local bird lovers after troops guarding an airbase shot and wounded a rare species of migratory bird making its first visit to the island for over 70 years.
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French Eurocopter to Deliver Helicopters for Bulgarian ArmyFrench aircraft maker Eurocopter has been picked to supply a squadron of Cougar transport helicopters for Bulgarian Air Forces, Defence Minister Nikolay Svinarov said.
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MQ-1 Predator crashes in Southwest AsiaAn Air Force MQ-1 Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle crashed at 10:20 a.m. Greenwich Mean Time on Nov. 24 at an undisclosed military installation in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.
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New IMAX film a first for the Air ForceThe IMAX film "Fighter Pilot: Operation Red Flag" premiers Dec. 2 at the Smithsonian Museum, Udvar-Hazy Center. The movie is the first large format film to showcase the U.S. Air Force.
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Competition To Modernize USAF Tankers Could Take Years, Sambur SaysA competition to upgrade or replace the U.S. Air Force's aging KC-135 tankers could take as little as six months or as long as several years, depending on the option chosen, a service official said Nov. 23.
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Wednesday, November 24, 2004
VikingsTwo S-3B Vikings assigned to the Checkmates of Sea Control Squadron Two Two (VS-22) launch from two of four steam powered catapults on the flight deck aboard USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate Airman Ryan O'Connor.
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EADS 'ready' for US air force bidEuropean defence giant EADS has said it is ready to put in a tender to supply refuelling planes to the US air force.
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Japan to make Patriot 3 missiles for domestic deploymentJapan and the United States have agreed in principle on the licensed producing of Patriot Advanced Capability 3 surface-to-air missiles in Japan, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported Tuesday.
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Bombers hit targets off Kaua'iFar off the coast of Kaua'i, two B-52 bombers made history yesterday, striking and sinking several targets with 2,000-pound satellite-guided bombs.
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Brazil VP Says $700M Fighter Jet Purchase Delayed-ReportsBrazil's Vice President and Defense Minister Jose Alencar said a decision to award a $700 million contract to buy 12 new fighter jets for the Brazilian Air Force will be delayed until 2005 or later, local press reported Tuesday.
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Sikorsky Signs Contracts to Replace Canada's Sea KingSikorsky Aircraft Corp. Nov. 23 announced it has signed contracts worth C$5-billion with the Government of Canada to provide and maintain 28 Sikorsky H-92 maritime helicopters. The new H-92s will replace Sea King aircraft currently in service with the Canadian Forces and deliveries are scheduled to begin in late 2008.
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FCS Team to Evaluate Options For Class II and III Unmanned Aerial Vehicle SystemsBoeing and partner Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), acting as Lead Systems Integrator (LSI) for the U.S. Army's Future Combat Systems (FCS) program, are seeking bid proposals to develop Class II and Class III Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) systems.
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Boeing Installs MESA Antenna on Second Wedgetail AircraftBoeing has installed a Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array antenna on a second 737-700 for Australia 's Project Wedgetail.
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Crash diminishes Swaziland's air forceA Swazi military aircraft overshot a runway and crashed into a sugar cane field - causing no serious injuries except to the kingdom's tiny air force, which is now left with just three planes.
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Greece set to scrap Eurofighter dealGreece is preparing to scrap a planned €5bn deal to buy 60 Eurofighter Typhoon combat jets for the Greek air force under a cost-cutting drive by the centre-right government which took office last March.
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‘Resultant Fury’ pits aircrews against challenging targetsB-2 Spirit bombers flew a 23-hour roundtrip mission from Whiteman Air Force base Nov. 22 supporting exercise ‘Resultant Fury’ in the Pacific.
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McCain Questions AF Commitment To Tanker CompetitionU.S. Sen. John McCain, the chief congressional critic of a U.S. Air Force attempt to acquire Boeing 767 tankers, launched a new attack on the proposal Nov. 19, saying newly released documents undermine the Air Force's claims that it has been willing to consider other aircraft.
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Tuesday, November 23, 2004
Truman Relieves Kennedy in Arabian GulfA changing of the guard occurred Nov. 20, when the USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) Carrier Strike Group relieved the USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67) Carrier Strike Group on station in the North Arabian Gulf Nov. 21. In the picture, the conventional aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67), is relieved by the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) shown making her turn away from Kennedy, and assuming duties under U.S. Navy Commander Fifth Fleet. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate Airman Ryan O'Connor
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Turkey: F-16 Dropped Flares To Defend Against Greek Plane The Turkish military on Monday accused Greece of increasingly harassing Turkish jets over the Aegean Sea, saying a Turkish F-16 warplane had to drop three flares in self defense during an encounter with a Greek warplane last week.
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Squadron begins retirementThe 20th Fighter Squadron began to show the first signs of its December inactivation Wednesday as the first of 15 F-4F Phantom II intercept aircraft flew into retirement.
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Pickering: 1st delivery of new model Apaches in Q1 2005The first delivery of new model AH-64D Apache attack helicopters ordered by the Israel Defense Force (IDF) will be delivered in the first quarter of 2004, Boeing VP international relations and former US ambassador to Israel Thomas D. Pickering revealed at a media conference in Tel Aviv.
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Govt clears all hurdles in ship-building projectIndia’s most ambitious ship-building project, a 37,500-metric tonne aircraft carrier for the Navy, will finally get underway early next year. All teething problems of this long-delayed project, including supply of the right kind of steel, are now over.
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Pentagon to Reopen Air Force Tanker Contract to New Bidders The pentagon will open to new bidders a contract to provide aerial-refueling tankers to the U.S. Air Force after Congress withdrew an earlier proposal worth $23 billion to Boeing Co., Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz said.
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Hawai'i copters play pivotal role in 2 warsHelicopters from Hawaii are playing a major role in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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PACAF earns ‘Top’ honors at William TellAward winners of the 2004 William Tell air-to-air weapons meet are:
- Top Gun: Capt. Pete Fesler, of the PACAF team.
- Top Scope: Capt. Daniel Wrazien, an Air Combat Command weapons director.
- Top Aircrew Team: ACC with 15,304.
- Top Element: PACAF 1 team, comprising Captain Fesler and Captain Travis Hazeltine.
- Top Weapons Director Team: ACC, comprising Captain Wrazien and Senior Airman Randy Stinnett.
- Top Load Team: PACAF with 3,593.5 points.
- Top Maintenance Team: ANG with 11,390 points.
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Airmen, bombers fueling the ‘Fury’ Resultant Fury, taking place in the Pacific Nov. 22, is a two-phase demonstration involving U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marines aircraft. Phase 1 consists of a maritime interdiction mission with B-52s leaving Andersen AFB and a B-1 Lancer flying from Dyess AFB, Texas, a unit of F-18 Hornets, from Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif., will also participate in the demonstration. Phase 2 consists of a large-scale exercise involving B-2 Spirits, F-15Es, E-8s, E-3s, CH-53 helicopters, special operations forces, P-3 Orions, F/A-18s, and mobile ground vehicles.
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CVW-17 Supports Coalition Ground Forces in FallujahAircraft from Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17 embarked aboard USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67) played a key role in supporting coalition ground forces during the operations in Fallujah, Iraq, that began Nov. 7.
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Putin May End Brazil Beef Ban to Press for Fighter SaleRussian President Vladimir Putin may offer to end a ban on Brazilian beef imports in exchange for the sale of Sukhoi fighters to the South American country.
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ROSOBORONEXPORT TO EMERGE AT INDONESIA ARMS EXHIBITIONAt the INDO DEFENCE-2004 EXPO&FORUM exhibition, due in Jakarta in Indonesia on November 24 through 27, the FGUP Rosoboronexport will showcase the Su-27SK and Su-30MK fighters.
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Spain acquires Taurus KEPD 350The Spanish Air Force is to equip its F/A-18 and Eurofighter aircraft with the Taurus KEPD 350 precision stand-off guided missile system. Spain confirmed this procurement intention during the German-Spanish summit talks held by federal chancellor Gerhard Schröder and prime minister José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero on 8 November.
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Boeing Delivers Seventh C-40A Clipper to U.S. Naval ReserveBoeing on Saturday delivered the seventh C-40A Clipper – a modified 737-700 "combi" airplane – to the U.S. Naval Reserve.
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Monday, November 22, 2004
Tail viewF-16 Fighting Falcons from the 64th Aggressors Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., are lined up ready for action during William Tell 2004. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Kevin Gruenwald.
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B-52B test plane flies final missionThe record-setting speed by the X-43A experimental scramjet engine on Tuesday marked the final operational mission for NASA's B-52B test aircraft.
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Sunday, November 21, 2004
Canada Helicopters To Fly Despite Tail Rotor CracksThe Canadian military has relaxed restrictions on its fleet of new CH-149 Cormorants search and rescue helicopters, even though officials still haven't discovered the cause of worrisome tail rotor cracks.
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Travis Air Force refuelers honored for heroismFour crew members from the 6th Air Refueling Squadron, USAF were recently awarded Distinguished Flying Crosses for their bravery. The crew help save two British Tornadoes that were within two minutes of running out of fuel.
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UK fights plan for European defence giantThe British government has intervened to prevent the creation of a European 'super-major' defence contractor through the merger of Franco-German Eads with French group Thales.
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Enterprise Prepares For New Landing GearUSS Enterprise (CVN 65) (Big E) is getting an upgrade to its landing gear. The state-of-the-art cross check system is being installed during the ship's ongoing Extended Selected Restricted Availability at Northrop Grumman Newport News shipyard to help improve the ship's ability to catch aircraft.
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PAC-3 Missile Program Advances On Separate Fronts, Officials SayThe U.S. Army's Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missile program has achieved significant progress on two key fronts, Army officials said Nov. 18.
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Three bids accepted for construction of helicopter manufacturing facilityJackson County port commissioners have received three bids for the construction of the Fire Scout unmanned helicopter manufacturing facility at Trent Lott International Airport.
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Airfield to be key spoke in Tikrit hubBy the end of November, the 10,260-foot bomb damaged runway at Tikrit, Iraq will be sturdy enough to handle big Air Force jets such as C-5s, C-17s, and C-141s.
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McCain blasts Air Force leader over Boeing caseU.S. Sen. John McCain suggested yesterday that the Air Force's most senior leadership systematically misled Congress and punished critics who raised questions about a $23 billion deal to buy and lease aerial refueling tankers from The Boeing Co.
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Pantex completes warhead programBWXT Pantex and the National Nuclear Administration announced Friday that Pantex has completed the Life Extension Program for the W87 warhead, a weapon carried on the Peacekeeper Intercontinental Ballistic Missile.
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